


There is no Other Choice

by Loki_Anansi



Category: Doctor Strange (2016), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Spoilers, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Hurt Pepper Potts, Hurt Stephen Strange, Post-Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-24
Updated: 2019-05-24
Packaged: 2020-03-13 11:42:13
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,647
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18940210
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Loki_Anansi/pseuds/Loki_Anansi
Summary: Based off a post from the Richard Siken bot on TwitterStephen trying to live with the guilt after Tony's death





	There is no Other Choice

Stephen trying to move forward from the guilt of Tony's actions and death  
Its hard, so hard for him, it aches to realize that he had a hand in ending the life of a good man, a good man like Tony, a man with a life and a legacy that made the world a better place.

He never regrets taking on the mantle of Supreme Sorcerer 

But,

Stephen's hands shake even harder when he remembers the death on them. His oath to never harm diminishes with every last beating of a heart.

His dreams are filled with the snapping of that first man's neck and the look of resignation on Tony's face, on Antony's tired face when he realized that he would have to sacrifice himself for a future where his daughter can grow and Peter can be the man Tony hopes he becomes

There is no other way. Those were the words that Stephen used to seal Tony's fate  
14 million, 6 hundred and 5 futures and he had choose the one where Tony died  
Stephen doesn't think that he can ever forgive himself for that

He wants to lay down and never get back up  
Tony's smile when he was with Morgan brings down pressure onto his chest, making it hard to breathe

Natasha finally having her family and being happy makes him flinch when he realized what she had to sacrifice for her family to live

Thor lost without Loki, losing himself in alcohol and denial, makes Stephen shudder when he thinks about the sun never shining on them again

All these sacrifices, all the lost and pain and blood for a future where Stephen is wracked with guilt and despair, Morgan is without her father, Nat can never be with her family, Peter is without his father figure, his mentor

It makes Stephen hurt so much.

He gets up eventually  
He gets back up, the cloak never far behind him and helps Wong with protecting the world 

One day, when it feels like the weight of the world is on his chest, pressure building up and caving into his heart,  
Pepper visits and with her Morgan

It makes Stephen freeze up, half rising from the couch, the cloak helping him up the rest of the way

Pepper looks at him and smiles, like she's seen that dumbfounded expression millions of times

Stephen flinches back and the smile slides off her face

Pepper lets Morgan wander off into the Sanctum, the cloak following her excited footsteps

She gets closer to Stephen, and he fights back the urge to drop back to the couch  
Its too soon for him to see her, a vision of her at Tony's funeral rising before his eyes

She looked dead inside, fighting back tears and staying close to Morgan  
Stephen tried to stay out of her way, the guilt eating up inside him  
But as if hearing his thoughts, her eyes snap to his face, and the meaning in her eyes makes him want to flee  
'I dont blame you' they say

Pepper's arms wrapping around him break him out of the past, and Stephen notices that he was breathing heavily, almost hyperventilating  
"I dont blame you. I never did", her words were whispered, fragile and weighted down  
"You gave us five years with her. Thank you"

He breaks down at her words.  
His shaking hands go around her, clutching on for dear life, her arms the only things keeping him from collapsing  
He starts to sobs, he can't believe she doesn't hate him, doesn't blame him for killing her husband

He doesn't know how long he cries, he's drained by the end of it. He comes to on the couch, Pepper's arms still around him  
Stephen doesnt know what to say, almost embarrassed from his breakdown, but relieved that the pressure is lifting from his chest

Before he can say thank you, giggling is heard from outside the room, and approaching fast

Morgan slides in, holding an object, and the cloak flying fast behind her

She slides to a stop in front of the couch and proudly holds out the object  
"Look!"

Its a glass box, and inside was a sliver locket, with a glowing red gem placed inside it

As Pepper starts to explain to Morgan that she can't take items off the Sanctum's shelves  
Stephen moves his hands over the box  
Glowing orange circles enclose the box, opening it

The circles move over the locket, checking it over before he lets the magic go.  
The locket immediately rises from its case and flies over to hover over Morgan's face  
She's in awe but knows not to touch without her mom's approval

In the meantime Pepper slides her eyes to Stephen and he answers the question silently asked  
"Its a protective locket. Keeps the wearer protected from invasive magics and lets a sorcerer know the wearers location. It decides its owner."  
Pepper hums before giving Morgan the ok.

Morgan smiles before lifting her neck up towards the locket.  
It flies and gently closes over her neck, the gem glowing slightly.

"You can be the one who knows her location"  
Stephen is too stunned to deny. While Morgan goes back to the library, Stephen looks at Pepper.  
"Why? Why me, after what I did." Stephen can't begin to believe that Pepper trusts him enough with Morgan.  
The pressure starts to build up again.  
Pepper takes a moment to answer, understanding that he wont take just any answer.

"Because it's what Tony would've wanted. You protecting her like you protected him."  
"I DIDN'T PROTECT HIM!"  
Stephen raised his voice without thinking, not knowing when he rose from the couch.  
Pepper looks at him with an understanding that hurts him.

He continues, voice cracking slightly, "I-I didnt protect him. I sentenced him to death. Sacrificed him for the rest of the universe. I did everything but protect him. How can you say that?"  
Pepper stands up, takes his hands into hers before looking him in the eyes

"You gave him 5 years with me, gave him 5 years to have Morgan and have her remember him." Here Stephen starts to pull away, Pepper's hold on his hands tightening, " you gave him a chance to save the world. You gave him a chance to be happy."  
Her voice starts to waver,

"You protected him by giving him time with his family. You let him do good in a world where he thought it was his fault that the Snap happened."  
Its slient for a moment, Pepper taking a moment before continuing, this hurting her as much as it hurts him.

"I dont blame you. I never did. You gave me a future with Tony and that's something that I will always cherish. You gave me a future with Morgan. How could I ever hate you?"  
Then she says something that breaks him and remakes the world in a single second.

"Tony would have never hated you. Would have never blamed you."

Its true. Its true and gods does it hurt.  
Stephen has known Tony for 14 million 6 hundred and 5 futures and Tony has never hated him.

Because how can Tony hate a man that would do everything to protect his family?

He lets the words wash over him. The pressure rising once more and the feeling of the Cloak returning to his shoulders, a comforting weight, makes it easy to breathe once more.

Pepper lets go of his hands once she sees him acknowledge her words.

She takes a sit, the emotions going through her making it difficult to stay calm. The conversation brings back the knowledge that she can never be with Tony again, that he's gone and she can't find him.

Morgan walking back into the room settles her and she quietly watches as she sees Morgan go up to Strange.

He stills once he notices her, Morgan looking up to him, the locket gleaming on her neck.

They have a stare off, the seconds ticking by before a smile takes over Morgan.

She reaches up to Stephen's legs but its enough for her to hug him. Stephen thinks he stopped breathing, the cloak reaching down to curl around Morgan's hair.

Her voice is muffled but understandable  
"Thank you for helping my dad. And for the locket, i really like the design."

Stephen takes a shaking breath, and puts a hand to her head before patting it as gently as he can. He ignores the first part of her sentence, "the locket chose you, its yours now. And I think the design is cool too."

A cough hiding a laugh is heard from the couch along with a shutter.  
Stephen snaps his head to the side, only to see Wong standing next to Pepper with a camera in his hands, a smirk on his lips.

"Don't. Say. A. Word"  
"My lips are sealed."

A giggle breaks Stephen out of his thoughts of revenge against Wong.  
He looks down, and the sight takes his breath away. Tony's eyes, filled with happiness and warmth. Morgan smiles and he can see Pepper in her and it hits him that he'll protect her until his dying day.

Pepper stands up and tells Wong and him that she has to get back to work. Morgan and her say their goodbyes and leave Wong with Stephen.  
Wong takes a moment to look at Stephen, "take the day off, I got it handled."

Stephen wants to ask him if he's sure, but today's events left him drained. So he keeps his mouth shut and allows the cloak to push him down on to the couch.

He closes his eyes, checks on Morgan and finds her with Pepper and Happy in a car, quick fingers moving over the locket, and allows himself to drift off.

He doesn't have any nightmares about Tony after that night.

**Author's Note:**

> Started out as a prompt, evolved into this


End file.
